Puppy Love
by FairTaxGirl
Summary: Veterinarian Dr. Stephanie Plum needs help solving the mystery of a military dog found wandering without its owner. Who else can help her, but the one and only man in black. Short, but fun AU story. Always a Babe!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a Babe AU story. It will contain language, violence and smut. All recognizable characters belong to JE, the rest are my creation. Although I have been a pet parent for many years, I am not a vet, so any medical or procedural mistakes are all mine.**

 **Chapter 1**

Stephanie Plum closed the hatch of her dark blue SUV with an exhausted sigh. It had been a long day and she was ready to sit back and relax in the big Jacuzzi tub that waited for her at home.

Reaching for the driver's side door, her thoughts of relaxation were interrupted by the screech of tires as a black Lincoln Navigator roared into the lot. An enormous black man jumped out of the vehicle clutching a limp kitten in his giant hands. He quickly strode over to her with a look of extreme panic on his face.

"Are you Dr. Plum?" He frantically asked.

"Yes," Stephanie replied as she reached for the kitten in his arms. "Let me take her? Him?"

"Him," the large black man responded. "His name is Mr. Whiskers."

"Let's go inside so I can examine Mr. Whiskers and find out what's going on, okay?"

The man's shoulders visibly relaxed and he quietly trudged after Stephanie.

Opening the door to her vet clinic, Stephanie quickly turned on the lights and carried the small animal to the first exam room. She worked quickly assessing the kitten's status while asking questions regarding its recent food consumption, bathroom routine and general condition.

After just a few minutes, she opened a cupboard and took out a small tube.

"What's that," the man asked?

"It's NutriCal," she replied. Taking the cap off and squeezing a small amount onto her fingertip, she held it up to the kitten's mouth and it slowly begin licking the paste off her finger. "It's something that is given to kittens or puppies to add to their nourishment. It's like an extra little boost when their sugar levels drop."

As Mr. Whiskers finished licking the paste, his small head brushed up against her hand and purred.

"I can't believe it! He's already so responsive. I thought," the man stuttered, "I thought he was gone."

Stephanie smiled and handed Mr. Whiskers back to the man. "No worries. It's actually a common problem. I just need you to keep an eye on him. If he starts to seem listless, give him a small amount, and make sure he always has plenty of fresh water available."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Plum. I promise, I will take very good care of him."

"It's my pleasure, Mr..."

"Tank."

"My pleasure, Mr. Tank."

"No, not Mr. Tank, my name is Tank."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Tank," Stephanie smiled as she cleaned up the exam room.

"What do I owe you?" Tank asked. "I know it's after hours, but I don't mind paying an emergency fee."

"No charge," Stephanie smiled and patted the kittens head.

"No charge? I don't understand," Tank questioned.

"It was a simple case and if I charge you my office manager will be all over me about the paperwork. I hate paperwork; it's a pain in the ass," she laughed.

"I know what you mean. I would rather be in the field all day then doing paperwork."

"What do you do for a living, Tank?" Stephanie inquired.

"I work for RangeMan Security. We specialize in residential and commercial security as well as high bond skip tracing."

"Wow, that must be interesting work, if not a little scary," she grimaced.

"Well, not as scary as the military missions I usual go on," he replied with a smirk.

"Military missions? You're a solider?"

"Most of the employees at RangeMan are either current or former military. The owner has been my best friend since basic training and when he started his company 10 years ago that was pretty much all he hired," Tank explained.

"The only other person I know that was in the military was my father, but he's been out since I was a kid." Stephanie stuck out her hand to shake Tank's and said, "I know it might not mean much, but I do appreciate your service to our country."

Tank was shocked. Nobody ever thanked him or the guys at RangeMan for their service. There was something different about Dr. Plum and he felt like he owed her for saving Mr. Whisker's life.

"No need to thank me, it's all part of the job," he mumbled. "I would however, like to thank you in some way for helping me with Mr. Whiskers. How about I come back in a few days and bring some guys to evaluate the security of your clinic? Free of charge, of course."

Stephanie laughed, "No need, I really don't have any problems with security. I mean, who wants to break in and steal sick or injured animals?"

"You keep drugs on the premises, don't you?" Stephanie nodded, and Tank continued. "Even though they are for animals, I know that sometimes junkies break into vet clinics looking for a quick fix."

Stephanie agreed that she had heard of that happening, but insisted she was just fine with her current security arrangements.

As he turned to leave, Tank handed Stephanie his card. "Just in case you change your mind."

"I'll think about it. Thank you so much for your offer; I do appreciate you looking out for me."

"No problem, Dr. Plum," he replied as he stroked Mr. Whiskers head.

"Please, call me Stephanie or Steph, I never did like the title of doctor; too formal for me. All I want to do is take care of animals; it doesn't matter what you call me."

"Thank you Stephanie, and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

 **Three Weeks Later**

Stephanie walked into her clinic with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bag containing 2 Boston creams in the other. Even though she worked out on a regular basis, and was in the best shape of her life, she still allowed herself a small sugar fix once a week.

"Good morning, Ashley," she greeted the receptionist.

"Morning, boss," Ashley replied. "Sara found a stray last night. She's in room 3 looking him over."

"Thanks, I'll check with her to see what's up." Stephanie walked into the exam room to see her vet tech looking over a beautiful German Shepherd. Sara had a puzzled look on her face.

"What's wrong, Sara," Stephanie asked; sitting her coffee and pasty bag down on the counter.

"Well, I'm a little confused. I found this guy last night wandering around the gas station when I stopped for fuel. He didn't have a collar so I kept him overnight and brought him in this morning to see if he had an ID chip implant."

"Did you find one?" Stephanie took a drink of her coffee and walked over to the exam table. The dog was still except for the thumping of his tail.

"I did, but the funny thing is, Wyatt, that's his name, is registered as a military dog."

"A military dog? How did he get loose?"

"I wondered about that too," Sara explained, "so I did a quick search and found out he was discharged with his owner about 6 months ago. He's actually a veteran; like his owner."

"That doesn't sound right," Stephanie responded. "From what I understand it's tough to get a dog discharged with its military handler. Those guys fight hard to stay together in civilian life."

"I know. It doesn't make sense to put up that much of a battle and then just let the dog run free." Sara suddenly had an idea. "You wouldn't happen to know anybody in the military that might help us figure this out, would you?"

Stephanie started to shake her head and then remembered Tank. "Actually, I think I do know somebody that can help us. Let me make a call and I'll let you know."

Stephanie walked into her office and found the card Tank had given her a few weeks ago. At the time she didn't think she would need his help, but now she was glad for his contact information. If something bad was happening with Wyatt's owner, she wanted to make sure he wasn't sent back to a home that couldn't properly care for him.

Stephanie took another sip of her coffee as the call connected. "Good Morning, RangeMan Security, how may I direct your call?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is a Babe AU story. All recognizable characters belong to JE, the rest are my creation. Although I have been a pet parent for many years, I am not a vet, so any medical or procedural mistakes are all mine.**

 _Previously -_

 _Stephanie walked into her office and found the card Tank had given her a few weeks ago. At the time she didn't think she would need his help, but now she was glad for his contact information. If something bad was happening with Wyatt's owner, she wanted to make sure he wasn't sent back to a home that couldn't properly care for him._

 _Stephanie took another sip of her coffee, as the call connected. "Good Morning, RangeMan Security, how may I direct your call?"_

 **Chapter 2**

"Hello, may I please speak with Tank?"

"Who's calling," the gruff voice questioned.

"It's Dr. Stephanie Plum."

"Hold on a minute; let me see if he's available."

Several minutes passed before, "Stephanie, it's Tank, how are you?"

"Great Tank, how's Mr. Whiskers?"

Stephanie could hear the smile in his voice as Tank told her that there had been no further incidents and Mr. Whiskers was adjusting well to his new home.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of your call, Stephanie? Have you changed your mind about our security evaluation?"

"No, nothing like that," Stephanie laughed. "I actually am calling for your military expertise."

"Military expertise? You're not planning on overthrowing a country, are you?" Tank teased.

"Not today, but if I decided to you'll be the first one I call."

"So what's up?" Tank asked.

"One of my vet techs found a stray dog the other day, which isn't unusual, but the information that came back on the owner is puzzling. The dog is registered as retired military and so is the owner. I know all the red tape and trouble that soldiers go through in order to be discharged with their K-9 partners, so I find it a little odd that he would just let the dog run loose. I'm afraid to return the dog to the owner if this is the kind of treatment he's going to receive."

"Do you want me to run a background check on the owner? Do you have his name?"

"Yes, his name is Miles Rogers. The implant chip shows he lives in Trenton, and I think the address is close to St. Francis Medical Center. Do you mind? I mean if it's no trouble."

"Please, Steph, after what you did for me and Mr. Whiskers, it's the least I can do."

"Thanks, Tank. You don't know how much I appreciate your help."

"No problem, let me do some research and I'll get back to you."

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Two days later Stephanie was busy ordering supplies when she heard the bell jingle on the front door of the clinic. Lifting her head, her eyes came into contact with the most delicious looking Latino man she had ever seen. He was dressed completely in black and his muscles bulged beneath his tight t-shirt.

Before she had a chance to speak, Tank came in the door behind the mysterious stranger.

Stephanie smiled when she saw Tank and walked over to greet him.

"Tank, it's so great to see you again," Stephanie said as she hugged him. Tank was surprised at her show of affection and Stephanie felt him tense up. "What's wrong, big guy, never touched a girl before?" she teased.

The man in black chuckled and Stephanie turned to look at him. He had the most amazing smile and Stephanie thought she might melt right there from his smoldering gaze.

"I'm sorry, Steph," Tank said, "this is my boss, Ranger Manoso, the owner of RangeMan. Ranger, this is Dr. Stephanie Plum."

Ranger extended his hand to shake Stephanie's and when he touched her, she felt a tingle all the way to the back of her neck. Ranger seemed similarly affected as he let his hand linger in hers.

Stephanie smiled and said, "please, call me Stephanie or Steph, I'm not very formal and any friend of Tanks is a friend of mine."

Ranger flashed his 200-watt grin. "Nice to meet you Stephanie. I understand from Tank that you're a real lifesaver, or should I say, cat saver?"

Stephanie blushed, "thank you for the compliment, but it really wasn't that big of a deal."

"It was to me," Tank spoke up.

"Sorry, Tank, I didn't mean to diminish Mr. Whisker's problem. I just meant in that in the scheme of problems that I see every day, it was an easy fix and I'm glad that everything turned out okay."

"Speaking of problems," Tank said, "I've got some information on your missing dog."

"Great," Stephanie replied, "let's go into my office. I'd like to make some notes in my computer so that I can keep Wyatt's information up to date."

"Lead the way, Babe," Ranger stated and held his arm out in a 'ladies first' motion.

The two men followed her down the hall and into her office. The walls were crowded with photos of all shapes and sizes of various kinds of animals. Some showed a smiling Stephanie holding puppies or kittens, while others were her of her in action at the clinic.

Ranger was surprised at the sheer number of animals that she had treated and the care that showed on her face for them. He was intrigued by this blue eyed beauty with the big heart and immediately felt a protective vibe towards her. The information they had discovered on Sargent Rogers was not good and he was concerned.

Stephanie tapped a few keys on her computer and looked up, "okay, gentlemen, what can you tell me about my most recent clinic guest."

Tank spoke first, "We ran the standard government background on Rogers and he has a clean military history. He was in the Army for eight years as a BDT or Bomb Disposal Technician, and Wyatt was with him the entire time beginning a few months after he got out of basic."

"Okay," Steph said with a curious look on her face, "that doesn't sound like a guy that would just let his dog run loose. Have you been able to find out anything else?"

"Well," Ranger continued, "his record is clean, but his brother, John's is a little more sketchy. Apparently, the brothers joined the Army at the same time. John is two years older than Miles and while Miles excelled in the military, his brother found nothing but trouble. He has been disciplined for public drunkenness, gambling and suspicious activities."

"What kind of suspicious activities?" Stephanie questioned, her brow creasing with concern.

"The kind that can get you court marshaled," Tank answered. "Two months ago he was sentenced to 25 years for arranging the sale of bomb information to Al Qaeda. Unfortunately, before he could be transferred to a federal military prison he escaped."

"And you two think that Miles had something to do with his escape?" Stephanie wondered.

"Not at all, Babe," Ranger responded, "we are concerned that John has involved Miles due to his expertise with bombs."

"Why would you think that? It sounds reasonable to me that Miles would be involved. It is after all his brother. I know you said he had a clean record, but that doesn't mean he wasn't just flying under the radar." Stephanie theorized.

"That brings us back to your guest, Wyatt." Tank said. "When we got the intel on John, we decided to pay Miles a visit to see what he could tell us, and also to check up on him for you." Tank took a deep breath, "when we got to his house it was a wreck and not the kind where the guy didn't clean up after himself. There were definite signs of a struggle and we found a significant amount of blood in the kitchen."

Stephanie paled and grabbed the armrests of her chair. "Did you find Miles?" she squeaked.

Ranger and Tank both shook their heads.

"The back door to the house was wide open and I believe that's how Wyatt escaped," Ranger continued. "We questioned his neighbors but nobody was able to tell us anything except Miles lived a quiet life and was never any trouble. He rarely had visitors and pretty much kept to himself. We also found out that he is enrolled at Douglass College in their Veterinary Tech program. It seems he likes working with animals and wanted to continue in civilian life."

"Oh, shit, I really don't like the sound of any of this," Stephanie said.

"Neither do we," Tank agreed, "I'm not sure of the extent of what is going on, but for right now, we need you to keep Wyatt with you until we can locate Miles. Will that be okay?"

"Of course," Stephanie quickly responded, "I can keep him as long as you need. In fact, I'll probably just take him home with me tonight. He's been here for a few days and I'm sure the change of scenery will do him good."

"Great, as soon as we have more information we'll let you know," Tank said.

Walking them back to the entranced of the clinic, Stephanie cocked her head to the side and looked at Ranger, "Is your name really Ranger?" she asked.

Ranger smiled and said, "Have dinner with me and I'll tell you my real name."

Stephanie countered, "You know I can just Google RangeMan and find out for myself."

"But what fun would that be?" he replied as he and Tank left the clinic with Stephanie staring dumbstruck behind them.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Special thanks to my friend and beta, Sonomom. She makes me look good.**

 _Previously -_

 _Walking them back to the entranced of the clinic, Stephanie cocked her head to the side and looked at Ranger, "Is your name really Ranger?" she asked._

 _Ranger smiled and said, "Have dinner with me and I'll tell you my real name."_

 _Stephanie countered, "You know I can just Google RangeMan and find out for myself."_

" _But what fun would that be?" he replied as he and Tank left the clinic with Stephanie staring dumbstruck behind them._

 **Chapter 3**

Sara snickered as Stephanie turned back to the front desk with a goofy smile on her face.

"What?" Stephanie demanded.

"Nothing, just enjoying the dazed look on your face," Sara replied.

"I don't have a dazed look on my face, I'm just amazed that some mother would name her child Ranger," Stephanie defended.

"Uh, huh, I'm sure that's exactly it," Sara laughed.

"I'll be in my office if anyone needs me," Stephanie huffed and quickly walked away from the line of fire. She knew that Sara meant well, but she was upset at being so transparent about her interest in Ranger. She had never felt such an instant connection with a man like this before and it confused her.

Plopping in her desk chair, Stephanie immediately pulled up Google and ran a search for RangeMan. She surfed through their website and a couple of hyperlinks but didn't find anything. Well, she found plenty of information about the company – the types of work they performed, prominent clients and basic security pricing, but nothing about the man that owned it.

Not to be outdone, Stephanie called her friend from high school, Connie Rosolli. Connie worked for her pervert cousin, Vinnie at Plum Bail Bonds. Stephanie wasn't sure if she could help, but it was worth a shot.

"Hey, Connie, it's Stephanie Plum, how are you?"

"Hey, Steph, I'm doing good. Well, as good as I can be working for your freak of a cousin. No offense, but I don't even see how you are from the same family tree."

Stephanie laughed, "While we're from the same tree, I like to think that his branch is far, far away from mine."

"I hear that," Connie replied. "So what can I do for you, Steph?"

"I'm trying to get information on the owner of RangeMan. I know they do high stakes bail bonding, so I thought you might have heard of them."

"Heard of them? Are you serious? RangeMan is the holy grail of bail bonding. Everyone, and I mean everyone, wants to be like them," Connie ranted.

Even though she was by herself, Stephanie held her hands up in a motion of surrender, "Sorry, I've just never heard of them before."

"No, Steph, I'm sorry," Connie responded. "Working for your cousin makes me a little crazy. But enough about crazy, let's talk about how hot those guys from RangeMan are."

"Well, I've only met Tank and Ranger but so far, but you're right, they are pretty hot."

"Especially, Ranger," Connie stated. "I mean hubba hubba!"

"Interesting you should bring up Ranger. I'm curious, is that his real name?"

"Naw," Connie laughed, "his real name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Ranger is a nickname he got from his time in the military. Why do you ask?"

"I kind of took it as a challenge to find out when he asked me to dinner," Stephanie replied.

Connie's eyebrows shot up. "He asked you out? That's awesome! I've known him for over five years and I've never heard of him dating anyone. I thought he was a workaholic or a robot; I'm glad to find out he's human."

Oh, he's totally human, Stephanie thought to herself. But before she could ask any more questions, Sara came in her office with a strange look on her face. "Hey, Connie, I've got to go. Thanks for the info, I owe you one."

"No problem, Steph, you can pay me back with all the juicy details about your date," Connie laughed.

"We'll see, thanks again." Stephanie hung up the phone and stood to address Sara. "What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost."

"Um, I think you better come here. There's a guy out front that's asking about Wyatt, but I don't think his intentions are good."

Stephanie straightened her spine, "Let's go," she told Sara and walked to the clinic entrance like the no nonsense vet that she was. Nobody was going to even try to hurt an animal on her watch.

"Hello," Stephanie approached the sinister looking man in front of her. Her spidey sense was going off like crazy, but she still held out her hand to shake his. "I'm Dr. Plum, what can I do to help you?"

"Um, yeah, I'm looking for a dog. It's a German Shepard that ran away a couple days ago and I've been checking animal control and all the vets to see if it's been found. You wouldn't happen to have seen it, would you?" the man inquired nervously.

"Is the dog male or female?" Stephanie asked. "We do have a stray German Shepard, but I can't just give it to anyone who asks."

"Um, it's ahhh boy?" the man stuttered and looked at Stephanie hopefully.

"What's the dog's name?" she countered.

"Um, well, we call him all kinds of nicknames, so I'm not sure what is on his tag."

"Well, what is his legal name? The one you registered him with?" Stephanie pushed.

"I, I can't remember, maybe Champ?" the man guessed.

"I'm sorry, Mr….."

"Jones, you can call me Mr. Jones."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jones, but I cannot in good conscience release the dog to you. If you find his paperwork and can prove ownership, I'll be more than happy to reunite you. But until then, he's going to stay with me." Stephanie was pissed and very wary of 'Mr. Jones'. She knew he was full of shit, but right now the only thing she wanted to do was get him out of her building so she could do a little investigating. She was glad Wyatt was safe at her condo.

"Ah, yeah, okay, I can understand that," Mr. Jones replied. "I'll see if I can find his paperwork and get back to you. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon, Dr. Plum." His eyes held Stephanie's just long enough for her to get yet another weird vibe from him before he left.

"Well," exclaimed Sara, "that was creepy as hell. I didn't like that dude one bit. I bet it's not even his dog."

"I'm sure it's not, but I don't think we've seen the last of him. Something's not adding up and I need to figure out what it is. I think I'm going to call Ranger and see if he can help," said Stephanie.

"I think that's a good idea," Sara responded and batted her eyelashes at Stephanie.

Stephanie smiled in spite of herself. "Whatever, it's purely a professional call," she retorted and sashayed into her office and closed the door.

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Ranger was in his office contemplating the lovely Stephanie Plum when Hal's gruff voice came over the intercom. "Hey boss, there's a Dr. Plum on line two for you."

Even though no one could see him, Ranger was embarrassed by how quickly he reached for the phone. Giving himself a few seconds to regain his composure, he picked up the phone with a, "Yo."

"Yo yourself, Ranger, or should I say Carlos?" Stephanie teased.

"Babe, you work fast. I didn't realize you were so resourceful. Maybe I should put you on my payroll."

"No, thanks, I'm good working with animals. I'll leave the working with humans to you," she laughed. "So, is the offer of dinner still good even though I found out your real name? I actually need your help with something and I figured, two birds, one stone."

"Sounds great. I know a great little Cuban place in Newark where I would love to take you. Are you free tomorrow night?" Ranger asked.

"Yes, on two conditions," Stephanie responded, "I would like to pay for myself and I would prefer to call you Carlos."

Ranger laughed, "Yes to Carlos, no to paying. I'm a traditional kind of guy, Babe, get used to it."

"Get used to it? Who says this isn't just a one-time dinner and discussion?" Stephanie countered.

"Don't worry, Babe, we're going to do this, more than once, and it's gonna be good."

Before she had a chance to respond, Ranger had hung up. Stephanie sat with the receiver still pressed to her ear. Do what more than once, she wondered. Dinner? Or…oh! And it was going to be good. Her body gave an involuntary shiver as she realized she'd have her answer tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I have been remiss in not thanking all my guest reviewers, you guys are awesome! Thanks to Sonomom for reviewing my chapters for me.**

 _Previously -_

 _Before she had a chance to respond, Ranger had hung up. Stephanie sat with the receiver still pressed to her ear. Do what more than once, she wondered. Dinner? Or…oh! And it was going to be good. Her body gave an involuntary shiver as she realized she'd have her answer tomorrow._

 **Chapter 4**

On Friday evening before Carlos came to pick her up, Stephanie was a nervous wreck. She chided herself for acting like a 16 year old girl going on a first date. After all, she was a grown woman with her own vet practice, a luxury condo with a great view of the Delaware river and more money than she knew what to do with.

As if reading her mind, Wyatt barked in understanding. But then Stephanie realized he barked because someone had rung the bell. Not just someone, Carlos. And there went her nerves again.

Smoothing out her little black dress, Stephanie checked the peep hole, and then opened the door. Her breath hitched as she took in Carlos wearing a suit. One word came to her mind; perfection.

"Good evening, Babe, you look fantastic," Carlos stated as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Stephanie felt a tingle of electricity at his touch. She flushed and replied, "Thanks, Carlos, you don't look so bad yourself."

"Hey, Wyatt," he greeted the dog with the wagging tail. "He looks good, Babe, happy and well behaved."

"Yeah, all the more reason to think something's amiss. But, we can talk about that over dinner."

Carlos gifted her with his 200 watt smile and held out his arm, "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely," she replied and patted Wyatt on the head. "Be a good boy and maybe I'll bring you back a doggy bag." Wyatt barked his agreement as they walked out the door.

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Carlos pulled his black Porsche into the lot of La Casa de mi Primo (My Cousin's House) and turned to Stephanie. "I brought you here because they have the best Cuban food on the East Coast. But I have to warn you, it's owned by my cousin, Lester and he's quite the jokester. Don't take anything he says too seriously."

Stephanie laughed while getting out of the car and said, "Consider me duly warned."

When they entered the restaurant, Stephanie's nose gave an appreciative sniff at the wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen. Carlos smiled and knew she was going to love the food.

A handsome Latino man with striking green eyes greeted the couple. "Hey, cousin, how have you been? And how did you convince this beautiful lady to accompany you to dinner? She should be having dinner with me instead," he playfully waggled his eyebrows.

A very pretty and very pregnant woman came around Lester's side and stated, "You're having dinner in the kitchen so stop trying to cause trouble." She gave Carlos a big hug and turned to Stephanie. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Marisol, Lester's wife and mother of his brood," she chuckled while rubbing her swollen belly. "This makes lucky number seven and then I'm done."

"Not until I have enough for a baseball team," Lester winked. Marisol playfully hit him in the arm and gave him a big smacking kiss on the cheek. "You and you're baseball team. We have all girls, Lester; they may not want to play baseball."

"They want whatever their Papi wants. They adore me; all women do. Right, Beautiful," he declared looking directly at Stephanie.

Before she could respond, Marisol handed Lester two menus and said, "Here, take your adorable self and seat your cousin and his date. I've got to get back in the kitchen, the chef is being a little pissy tonight. Too bad for him hormonal pregnant woman trumps pissy chef. I'll see you two later."

Lester led Carlos and Stephanie to a private table towards the back of the restaurant. Once he left, Stephanie commented, "You weren't kidding; he's a complete court jester. How does Marisol put up with him talking about other women like that?"

"It's all for show, Babe. Lester is hopelessly in love with his wife and daughters. He acts like a player, but he would do anything in the world for them."

"I figured as much. Marisol does seem to have a handle on him. I do have a question though, why is the restaurant name My Cousin's House and not Lester or Marisol's House?"

"Well," Ranger hesitated, "that's because when Lester and Marisol first started out, I loaned them the initial down payment for the building and equipment. He paid me back a long time ago, but he wanted to keep the name. I usually don't let people know because Lester is a very proud and private person, despite his outward antics. But enough about my cousin, tell me about you."

"Let's see," Stephanie started. "I'm from the Chambersburg section of Trenton, aka The Burg, and ever since I was little I was always bringing home some kind of sick or injured animal. My parents were always very supportive, but my mom finally had enough of me performing "surgery" on her kitchen table.

So, I started taking the animals I found to a local vet. He was very kind and patient and taught me a lot. It was because of him that I became a vet myself."

Carlos couldn't help but admire the way Stephanie spoke so enthusiastically about animals. He could tell she had a kind heart and that under her soft spoken demeanor, there was a sexy and passionate woman that he was very interested in getting to know.

"What about you?" Stephanie queried, "Where did you grow up?"

"I'm originally from Newark, but I make my home in Trenton now. I joined the military when I was 18 and when I was discharged, I started my own security and bail bonding company."

"Tank told me that you hire other veterans to work with you. I think that's great!"

"It's not easy for some of these guys when they get back to civilian life. Especially with some of the covert and under cover missions they have to perform. I found that I can utilize their skills and protect people at the same time so it's a win-win."

"Speaking of protection," Stephanie proceeded to fill Carlos in on Mr. Jones visit and the subsequent feelings of unease that she and the staff have been experiencing.

"I'll tell you what, Babe, I can set up security monitoring for the clinic when you're not there and I can have one of my guys standing guard while you're open. I can also secure your condo just in case they find out where you live."

"I'm okay with the clinic monitoring because it's not just me. But, I'm not going to let some creep scare me out of my home," Stephanie determinedly stated.

"Fair enough. I just want you to know that if I see a need, I will do what I can to fulfill it."

"Pretty confident in yourself, huh, Carlos," Stephanie smiled.

"I told you before Babe, I'm a pretty traditional guy."

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When Carlos and Stephanie returned to her condo, the door was slightly ajar and she could hear Wyatt barking wildly. Carlos immediately went into protection mode and gently pushed Stephanie behind him before pulling out his pistol. "Stay here, Babe, I've got this," he told her.

Not one to be left behind, Stephanie trailed behind Carlos as quietly as possible. She couldn't believe the condition of her condo; it looked like a bomb exploded.

Suddenly, two men emerged from her bedroom with Wyatt being dragged behind them. Before she could blink, Carlos had subdued the intruders and slapped handcuffs on them.

Stephanie couldn't believe how quickly and efficiently Carlos had handled the situation. "What the hell? Who are you, Batman?" she questioned.

Carlos chuckled, "No, Babe, I'm just a man with highly developed training."

"Uh, huh, I'm going to call you Bruce Wayne from now on," Stephanie grinned.

"Call me what you like, but I think we need to talk about where you're going to be staying for a while."

Stephanie looked around her home and sighed. "Yeah, I guess I'll get a hotel until I can get in touch with my insurance company. There's one close to the clinic that should be fine," Stephanie replied.

"No," Carlos firmly stated.

"No? I didn't realize you had a say in this." Stephanie insisted.

"I didn't mean to come across as such a jerk, Babe. Let me call this in and I'll let you know what I have in mind."

Once the police had removed the two men and gathered information for their reports, Carlos explained to Stephanie about his secure building on Haywood Street and the empty apartment available on the fourth floor. He convinced her it was much safer until he and the police could figure out exactly why the men were there and why they wanted Wyatt so badly. Stephanie acquiesced and followed Carlos to RangeMan.

When they arrived at the door to her temporary home on four, Carlos drew Stephanie into a passionate and panty melting kiss. When he was done thoroughly possessing her mouth, he whispered, "Next time, Babe, I'm going to taste the rest of your body."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to all my guest reviewers. I appreciate your kind words. Special thanks to my beta, Sonomom, for her continued guidance; she is awesome!**

 _Previously -_

 _When they arrived at the door to her temporary home on four, Carlos drew Stephanie into a passionate and panty melting kiss. When he was done thoroughly possessing her mouth, he whispered, "Next time, Babe, I'm going to taste the rest of your body."_

 **Chapter 5**

Ranger sat in his office and contemplated the report in front of him. The two men that had been found in Stephanie's condo had spilled their guts, but were basically low level thugs that didn't know much.

They were instructed to secure Wyatt and then call for a drop off site. Luckily for the police and RangeMan, they were able to ascertain the warehouse location. RangeMan was the chosen agency and they were running the op tonight.

Speaking of running, Ranger's attention was drawn to the monitor on his desk that showed the lobby. The delicious Stephanie Plum was doing her pre-run stretching and it made him want to join her; his cock stood up in agreement. Calling down to Cal to have her wait, he quickly changed into his work out gear and bolted down the stairs.

Opening the stairwell door to the lobby he asked, "Want some company on your run, Babe?"

"Sure, Carlos. I was actually going to see if you wanted to come with me instead of my bodyguard, but I figured you were busy."

"Never too busy for exercise or you," he smiled, "let's go."

As they ran, Carlos filled Stephanie in on the take down plan for the evening. While Stephanie hoped that all involved were safe, she and Wyatt were happy to stay behind and "keep the home fires burning" so to speak. She explained that while it seemed exciting, she would leave it to the professionals.

When they returned to the RangeMan building, Ranger prepared for the mission with the rest of the core team while Stephanie went to four for a shower and dinner.

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Ranger, Tank and Bobby were parked outside the drop warehouse. Everything had been communicated via text so the people inside had no idea what they were in for. Ram was on a rooftop across the street and had eyes on who he suspected was Miles, tied to a chair. There were three other suspects in the building.

Ranger gave silent hand signals to begin the operation. Bobby quickly opened the door while Tank threw a flashbang into the structure.

All hell broke loose as the suspects scrambled to defend themselves. One of them drew a weapon but Tank easily disarmed him with a roundhouse kick to his wrist that broke both the man's radius and ulna. The man screamed in pain as Tank cuffed him none too gently.

The second man tried unsuccessfully to rush Bobby and ended up being clotheslined and knocked unconscious.

Unfortunately, the third suspect, Mile's brother, John, had gotten lucky and escaped through a trap door before the smoke cleared.

As Bobby untied Miles and checked him for injuries, Ranger introduced the core team and began questioning him. "Do you know why your brother has such an interest in your K-9 companion?"

Miles winced as Bobby cleaned the lacerations from the ropes that had kept him immobile. "My brother John has always been a tortured soul," Miles began. "He thought he could get rich quick and hide underground, but the US military was aware of his scheme to sell bomb making plans to Al Qaeda."

Miles stretched his fingers and carefully rotated his wrists, trying to ease the numbness from his recently released hands. "He originally asked me to hold a flash drive for him," he continued, "but I was suspicious because when he gave it to me, he acted very nervous. I didn't tell him that I uploaded the drive and saw that it was plans on how to make bombs."

"What did you plan to do with the information?" Ranger questioned.

"I didn't realize until after John was arrested the seriousness of what I had," Miles explained. "I made an appointment with the department of defense because I wanted to make sure that I got the flash drive in the right hands. When John escaped custody, I hid the drive in Wyatt's collar. I figured if he came looking for it, that was one place he would never think of."

"That's why they wanted Wyatt so badly," Bobby surmised.

"Exactly," Miles agreed. "When John escaped custody and his 'friends' first came to my house, I knew it wasn't for a social visit. So when things started to get out of hand, I gave Wyatt a few commands so he would get out of the house okay. I was lucky that the back door was open so it assisted in his getaway."

"Did John know about the flash drive in Wyatt's collar when he left the house?" Tank asked.

"Absolutely not," Miles stated. "I am proud to be a former member of the US Military and I still live my life by their code of conduct. There was no way I was going to give up so easily." Miles hung his head in defeat. "But, after three days of repeated physical abuse, I caved and told them where the flash drive was."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, soldier," Ranger declared. "You hung onto your intel as long as possible, but everyone has their breaking point. Your original plan worked perfectly and kept the information out of the hands of the enemy."

"Thank you for your understanding," Miles acknowledged. "Since you know my dog's name, I'm assuming you know where he is?"

"Wyatt is safe at the RangeMan headquarters", Tank advised. "He was found by a vet who has been protecting him for you."

"That's fantastic," replied Miles. "How soon can I see him?"

"As your brother is still unaccounted for," Ranger stated, "I would like to offer you a secure apartment at RangeMan until he is found."

"Thank you so much, I don't know how I can repay you," Miles responded.

"No need," Tank replied. "Just make sure we get the flash drive and RangeMan will get it to the proper authorities."

"In the meantime," Bobby continued, "Let's get these two suspects transferred to the Trenton PD so we can all go home."

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Stephanie opened the door to find Carlos waiting with a man she did not recognize. But apparently Wyatt knew who he was because he barked happily and wagged his tail.

"Hey, buddy," Miles greeted Wyatt as he knelt on the floor. "I sure have missed you." Wyatt returned the sentiment by giving him big sloppy dog kisses.

Miles stood and extended his hand to Stephanie. "Miles Rogers, thanks so much for taking care of Wyatt for me. I hope he wasn't any trouble."

"Are you kidding," replied Stephanie, "he was a perfect gentleman, and as an added bonus, he kept my feet warm at night."

Miles laughed and ruffled Wyatt's head.

Bobby knocked on Stephanie's door, "You ready, Miles? I've got the clinic prepared for you."

"Yeah," Miles responded and turned to Stephanie. "I'm glad he was a good companion for you. Thanks again."

"Good night," Stephanie replied.

"I'll see you in the morning, boss," Bobby stated and he, Miles and Wyatt left, leaving Stephanie and Carlos alone.

Carlos wrapped his arms around Stephanie and whispered in her ear, "Wyatt's defected, Babe. He's back with Miles, but I'm volunteering to keep your feet warm tonight."

Stephanie felt a shiver run through her body at the thought that she was already being warmed by Carlos, but she wanted to get to know him just a little better.

"I'll tell you what, Carlos, let's have dinner tomorrow night and you can take me dancing. We can talk about getting warm then."

"You're killing me, Babe, but I have a feeling it's going to be worth the wait." And with another panty melting kiss, Carlos was out the door and Stephanie was leaning limp against it.

Who is killing who, she thought to herself, as she walked into the bathroom with the deluxe shower massager, which would hopefully tide her over until tomorrow night.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you to all my guest reviewers. I appreciate your kind words. Special thanks to my two betas (yes, two!) for this chapter – Lnben and Sonomon. This chapter is short and smutty. If you don't care for smut, feel free to skip it altogether. If you do like smut, enjoy!**

 _Previously -_

" _I'll tell you what, Carlos, let's have dinner tomorrow night and you can take me dancing. We can talk about getting warm then."_

" _You're killing me, Babe, but I have a feeling it's going to be worth the wait." And with another panty melting kiss, Carlos was out the door and Stephanie was leaning limp against it._

 _Who is killing who, she thought to herself, as she walked into the bathroom with the deluxe shower massager, which would hopefully tide her over until tomorrow night._

 **Chapter 6**

The following late afternoon, Carlos and Stephanie departed the RangeMan building with a relaxing evening in mind.

After a light dinner at Rossini's, they headed to a dance club for a little stress relief. Their dancing started innocent enough, each showing off their signature 'come and get me moves.' But less than an hour of slowly grinding together and both were ready to leave.

As the music pulsed, Carlos drew Stephanie into a passionate embrace and whispered seductively in her ear, "Are you ready to take this somewhere private?"

Stephanie moaned her agreement, "Please, Carlos, I need to be with you."

Carlos grasped Stephanie's hand and expertly maneuvered her through the crowded dance floor. He was desperate to get her alone and naked, but the other club goers did not appear to understand as they seem to keep blocking their way to the exit.

The drive back to RangeMan was completed with lingering caresses and heated looks. Carlos had one hand on the steering wheel and the other slowly trailing up Stephanie's thigh. He kept her attention on their mutual need and his frustration with the slow moving traffic. "Damn, it! I need to install lights and sirens on this vehicle. This is turning into a medical emergency."

When they finally arrived at RangeMan, they literally sprinted from the vehicle to the elevator. The ride to the seventh floor seemed to last an eternity. Unfortunately, there were too many cameras and too many nosy RangeMen on the monitors to try and get a little relief.

The apartment door had barely closed before Carlos peeled off her jacket and spread butterfly kisses across her neck. Stephanie felt ready to explode. When he began stroking her taut nipples, she reached back and twined her hands in his hair. She loosened the leather tie holding his hair back and let it fall over his shoulders.

He cupped her breasts and his cocked twitched with the softness filling his hands.

Carlos didn't want a hard pounding fuck for their first time together, but he needed to be inside her, and soon.

His hands traveled down Stephanie's neck to her shoulders. Her back was pressed tightly to his front and she wiggled her perfect ass against his erection in a move both teasing and pleading.

Venturing down her waist and into the valley between her thighs, he could feel the heat and the silkiness of her soaked thong. "Let's take this to the bedroom, Babe," he said, slowly leading her through the apartment.

They continued to kiss and caress one another while undressing. His fingers touching her skin elicited a trail of goosebumps as they trailed the zipper he was slowly lowering. Her hands shook with need as she unbuttoned his shirt; kissing each patch of newly bared skin. Releasing his fly, Steph inhaled in wonder and anticipation. Carlos was perfect in every way.

When they were both completely nude, Carlos closed his mouth over her breast and teased the tight nipple with his talented tongue. He slowly stroked his hand over her stomach as he eased down her body. He trailed his fingers down between her legs and used two fingers to fondle her slick core. Her body tightened and a fresh wave of desire washed over him.

He began rhythmically thrusting his fingers inside her, watching her face as the pressure built. Stephanie's lips part and she softly sighed 'yes'. He teased her for a few more minutes then withdrew his fingers.

Stephanie whimpered in protest, but Carlos gently eased her onto the bed and spread her legs. "Beautiful, Babe," he told her. "Please Carlos, no more teasing. I need you inside me. Now! I can't wait any longer."

Stephanie was so wet and ready for him, that when he stroked his hard cock at her entrance, she lifted her hips to meet him in welcome. He thrust deep, filling her completely with one stroke. With each drive of his cock, he watched her face, bathed in passion and desire for him.

While her feet were planted firmly on the edge of the bed, her hands fisted the sheets. "Oh, god, yes, fuck me, please fuck me harder," Stephanie cried out. She was close to the edge and her walls started to vibrate with need.

Carlos perceived the change in her breathing and knew that she was close. He was fighting for control of his own orgasm, but he wanted Stephanie to come first. "That's it, Babe, come for me," Carlos demanded, and she let her herself fly over the edge.

While Stephanie was in a post orgasmic daze and Carlos was still inside her, he rolled them so that she was now straddling him. "My turn, Babe," he said as he took hold of her hips and began pumping her up and down on his hard cock.

Stephanie's body immediately responded and she toyed with her own breasts while their bodies rocked together in perfect motion. Carlos was able to get incredibly deep with this position and he felt his control slipping. After a few more thrust, he couldn't hold on any longer and finally exploded inside her.

When the last tremors left his body, Stephanie relaxed on his chest. They were a sweaty and sated heap and she wouldn't have it any other way. She was really beginning to fall for this man and it scared her.

"Deep thoughts, Babe?" Carlos questioned.

"Nothing that can't wait," she responded and gently kissed his lips. "Ready for round two, Batman?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely!" Not only was he ready for round two, but he had plans to keep her screaming till daylight.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you to all my guest reviewers. Special thanks to my beta Sonomom; she makes me look good.**

 _Previously -_

 _When the last tremors left his body, Stephanie relaxed on his chest. They were a sweaty and sated heap and she wouldn't have it any other way. She was really beginning to fall for this man and it scared her._

" _Deep thoughts, Babe?" Carlos questioned._

" _Nothing that can't wait," she responded and gently kissed his lips. "Ready for round two, Batman?"_

" _Abso-fucking-lutely!" Not only was he ready for round two, but he had plans to keep her screaming till daylight._

 **Chapter 7**

Stephanie woke earlier than usual the next morning. She was anxious to get her daily run in, which was ironic considering the 'work out' she had gotten with Carlos the night before.

She looked over at Carlos and smiled. He was sleeping so peacefully that she didn't have the heart to wake him. She was only going to be gone for thirty minutes and maybe when she got back they could shower and get 'clean' together.

After leaving a note for Carlos, Stephanie slipped out of the penthouse and down to her apartment on four to change. She debated whether or not to bring her phone and decided against it.

Stephanie made her way down to the ground floor and out the front door. Brrrr, it was cold out, but she chose to forego getting a heavier jacket. After all, she was sure that her run and thoughts of Carlos would keep her toasty.

Not wanting to waste another minute, she started her warm up. After a slow jogging half mile, Stephanie was ready to put on some speed. Unfortunately, her legs did not seem to agree with her and before she knew it a shock went through her body and the world went dark.

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Ranger slowly awoke and smiled. Last night had been both fantastic and unexpected in some ways. Although it was still early, he firmly believed that Stephanie might be the one. All the years he had spent in hot deserts and humid jungles had taught him to believe his gut feelings and all signs pointed to something permanent.

Unfortunately, when he opened his eyes, his babe was nowhere to be seen. He spied a note on her pillow and his grin faded as he read. The note stated she would only be gone 30 minutes and the time on it was more than 2 hours ago. Surely she would have returned by now and let him know. He called out for her and was met with silence.

Ranger was filled with a sense of dread as he quickly called the control room to see what time she had returned.

"Dr. Plum departed at 6:32 a.m. but has not yet returned," Hal informed him.

"Damn!" Ranger exclaimed, "I'll be down in 10."

Stopping at Stephanie's apartment on four, just to make sure she wasn't there, Ranger arrived in the control room in less than 8 minutes.

"I need a location on tracker number 1361990," Ranger barked.

"Who's that?" Tank questioned.

"That tracker is showing at Hamilton Avenue and 129," Hal said.

"That's the Trenton Industrial Center," Bobby stated. "There's nothing there except a bunch of abandoned buildings. Ranger, who are we looking for?"

"Stephanie. Someone has Stephanie and I bet it's that piece of shit, John Rogers. I knew that she liked to run so I put a tracker in her running shoes in case she went out by herself. Lock and load boys, we're going to hunt that fucker down and bring her back. Be ready to roll in 5," Ranger commanded and left the control room.

"Booyah!" Tank thundered and Bobby high fived him in agreement.

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Stephanie slowly came to and quickly realized she was in a hell of a mess. She was tied to a chair in what looked like an abandoned office and her whole body ached like she had the flu. A man she immediately recognized as John Rogers sat across the room from her.

"How nice of you to rejoin me, Dr. Plum," John sneered, "or shall I just call you Stephanie since our surroundings are more intimate than that of a normal doctor/patient relationship."

"What do you want with me?" Stephanie responded. "The bomb information you wanted has been turned over to the government."

"Thanks to you and that do-gooder brother of mine, I lost my last chance at a fortune. I've got nowhere to hide and I'll be dead as soon as they find me. Unfortunately, Miles was smart enough not to leave the building so I'll just have to take out my aggression on you."

"What are you talking about?" Stephanie was scared and kicking herself for not being more careful with her safety. What was she thinking? Now she was trapped in a room with a psychopath and nobody knew where she was. As John advanced on her with a butcher knife in his hand, she made a vow that if she made it out alive, she would come clean with Carlos regarding her feelings toward him.

As he raised his arm to slash her throat, the door burst open and a shot rang out that caught John right between the eyes. He fell backward onto a pile of old boxes and blood gurgled from his mouth.

While Tank and Bobby took care of John's body, Carlos immediately rushed over and untied Stephanie and checked her for injuries.

"Oh, Carlos, I was so scared. I thought I was going to die," Stephanie cried into his chest.

"I've got you, babe," he responded and tightened his grip on her. "I'll always take care of you."

"Can we please go home," she pleaded, "I'm so tired and I just want to shower and lay in bed for a while."

"Tank and Bobby will handle the police," Carlos said, "I'll let them know you'll be available later today to give your statement. I'll make sure it won't be a problem considering what happened."

Stephanie looked up at Carlos and said, "I know the timing is strange, but I wanted to tell you that I love you."

Carlos pulled her in close to him. He rested his chin on her curls and spoke softly, so the others wouldn't hear. "I know you do, babe. You mentioned that last night."

Stephanie pulled back and looked up at him. "I did? Last night? When we were …oh! I did!"

Carlos laughed as he tightened his hold. "I love you, too, babe." His kiss started gentle, but warmed into passion. "Let's go home…and celebrate."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers; I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement. Special thanks to my beta Sonomom; she always knows the right thing to say when I get stuck. Plus she's a pretty awesome chick!**

 _Previously -_

 _Stephanie looked up at Carlos and said, "I know the timing is strange, but I wanted to tell you that I love you."_

 _Carlos pulled her in close to him. He rested his chin on her curls and spoke softly, so the others wouldn't hear. "I know you do, babe. You mentioned that last night."_

 _Stephanie pulled back and looked up at him. "I did? Last night? When we were …oh! I did!"_

 _Carlos laughed as he tightened his hold. "I love you, too, babe." His kiss started gentle, but warmed into passion. "Let's go home…and celebrate."_

 **Chapter 8**

 **EPILOGUE – 5 YEARS LATER**

"Come on, babe, you've got this," Carlos encouraged his wife. Stephanie had been in labor for the better part of the day and there was finally a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

"Oh, please, Carlos, I'm so tired. Can't they just use those tong thingy's to get them the rest of the way out?"

Carlos chuckled and shook his head no. "Sorry, babe, it doesn't work like that. Just a couple more pushes and we'll get to see them."

Stephanie let out an exhausted sigh and refocused her energy once again. With Carlos sitting behind her and sweat dripping down her face, Stephanie bore down and grunted through the pain until…

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Manoso," the doctor proclaimed, "the first baby is out and it's a boy!"

Tears shone in Stephanie's eyes as she looked up at Carlos. "A boy," she sighed. Carlos kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her.

The doctor interrupted their moment with, "here comes baby number two. Oops, looks like baby three is anxious not to be left behind. He's holding onto his brother's foot. Congratulations, again, you've got two more sons."

"Oh my god, Carlos, what are we going to do with three boys?"

"The only thing we can do, babe. Love them and teach them how to protect their big sister."

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Several hours later, Stephanie and Carlos were relaxing in the birthing suite that was specially designed for parents of multiples. A queen size bed was located near the windows so that the fatigued parents could see the fountain outside while taking care of their new brood.

Isabella Manoso, age 4, was thrilled that her baby brothers had finally arrived. She thought of them as little baby dolls that she was anxious to help take care of when they all went home.

"Unca Ester," Isabella cried as her favorite uncle entered the room followed by his seven daughters and his wife, Marisol holding their infant son. It had taken him a few years, but Lester had finally worn her down to try one more time for a boy. All the girls loved their little brother and Lester felt like a king.

"You did it right this time, cuz. A litter is so much more effective than having one at a time," Lester teased.

Marisol smacked Lester in the back of the head as Stephanie responded, "Lester, just because I'm a vet and had triplets does not mean that it's called a litter." She couldn't hold a straight face and busted out laughing. "Marisol, I have no idea how you put up with him," Stephanie chuckled.

"You know me, beautiful, it's my charm and boyish good looks," Lester said and waggled his eyebrows.

"Charm, my ass," Marisol retorted.

"Oh, yeah, my ass is another reason," Lester smirked.

Carlos and Stephanie sat back and watched Marisol give Lester a one armed hug and kiss on the cheek. No matter what she said, Marisol would do anything for Lester. He was a great husband and father and all his girls adored him.

Stephanie looked at her three boys, Carlos Ricardo, Jr., Francis Robert and Anthony Matteo and smiled. Never in her wildest dream would she have thought that a large black man with a sick kitten would be the beginning of her happily ever after. Tank was appreciative of the lifetime free pass she'd given him for veterinarian services, but she knew she'd gotten the best end of the deal.

Her heart swelled with tenderness as she saw the look of wonderment on Carlos' face as he inspected his sons. When he turned his gaze toward her, she felt warmth flood through her. Yes, she'd been generous to Tank with her free services offer, but that was okay, because with her new family, Carlos was right. There was no price.


End file.
